Propelling apparatus for vessels



(No Model.)

0. A. SMITH.

PROPELLING APPARATUS FOR VESSELS'.

No. 358,170. Patented Feb. 22, 1887-.

' Man/r03.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES AfSMIIH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

P ROPELLING APPARATUS FOR VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 358,170, dated February22, 1.887.

Application filed June 1, 1886.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements inPropelling Apparatus for Vessels; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

My invention relates to that class of propellers which have areciprocating or vibratory movement, and in which hinged or pivotedblades are caused to present their flat sides to the water when movingin one direction and their edges when making the return-stroke, commonlycalled ducks-foot propellers, and known under the classification of thePatent Office asvibrating propellers. Its object is to provide a meansfor propelling vessels which shall be eifective in operation, cheap andsimple in construction, and which may be instantly reversed to propelthe vessel in the opposite direction; and to these ends it consists inthe construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which are herein referred to, and whichform a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents an elevation inperspective of a boat provided with my propeller, and illustrating themode of operation. Fig. 2 represents a perspective view of thepropeller, the full lines and dotted lines, respectively, showing it setfor operation in opposite directions.

The construction of my propeller is as follows: To the opposite sides ofa lever or arm, a, are hinged pairs of leaves or blades b b, which areadapted to be closed together or spread apart, as clearly shown in thedrawings. The leaves or blades are hinged so as to open outward or awayfrom each other, and stops 0 are arranged between the two pairs tosupport and hold them in operative position. As the propeller begins itsforward movement in the direction of its effective stroke, the action ofthe water causes the blades to open or spread outward, while in thereverse movement the action of the water on their rear faces causes themto close together, so as to offer but Serial No. 203,781. (No model.)

slight resistance to their passage in making the return-stroke. Thestops 0 are laterallyprojecting studs on the arms or levers a, and theyare arranged between the pairs of blades, so as to serve for both pairs.Above the leaves or blades b, and standing in the same plane when theleaves are closed together, is a pivoted vibrating lever, d, which isbifurcated at its ends, so as to close down over either pair of bladesand hold them together. is provided with means for operating it from thevessel, so as to lock or unlock either pair of blades at will, accordingto the direction in which it is desired to propel the vessel. As a meansfor effecting this operation I have shown two cords or chains, f,attached to the This lever' lever d at opposite sides of its pivot, andcon- 1 nected at their upper ends with a lever, e, which ispivoted tothe armor lever a at a point within reach of the occupant of the vessel.The two levers e d being connected, the vibration of the first causes acorresponding vibration of the second, and looks or unlocks one pair ofthe blades 1), as may be desired.

In large vessels, when it is desired to manipulate the propellers fromthe pilot-house or-other point remote from the arms a, the cords arepassed over a bearing at the pivot or fulcrum of the arm a, and thenceto the place from which they are to be operated.

WVhen two or more pairs of these propellers are used, they may beconnected by crossed wires, cords, or chains above and below theirpivots, as shown in Fig. 1, so that as one moves forward in making itseffective stroke the other moves backward, or makes its return-stroke,by which a continuous propelling action is effected. This, however, isnot new, and I make no claim thereto.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is for the application of manual power,the handles 9 be-' ing intended to be grasped by the hands of theoperators. It is manifest, however, that other power may be employed-as,for exam ple, a crank-shaft driven by hand or foot power may beconnected with the arms or levers a; or the piston of asteam-engine maybe connected therewith. It is to be understood,

however, that the present invention relates only to the construction ofthe propeller, and not to the means for applying power thereto, thelatter being referred to merelyfor the purpose of more clearlyexplaining the operation of my invention.

WhatI claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Apropelierof the character hereinbefore described, consisting of avibrating arm or lever, (1, blades hinged thereto in pairs on oppositesides, standing when closed in the plane of vibration and openingoutward therefrom, stops 0, to support the blades in operative position,and a double-acting lock to lock either pair of blades together,substantially as shown andv described.

2. The combination of a vibrating arm or lever, a, blades hinged theretoin pairs on opposite sides to close together in the plane of vibrationand to open outward therefrom, a vibrating lever, d, arranged above theblades and bifurcated at its ends, as shown, to engage and lock eitherpair of blades, and stops arranged between the pairs of blades tosupport the same in operative position, substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The combination of a vibrating arm or lever, a, blades hinged theretoin pairs on opposite sides to close together in the plane of vibrationand to open outward therefrom, stops 0 between the pairs of blades tosupport the same in operative position, a vibrating lever above saidblades bifurcated at both ends to engage and lock either pair, a lever,e, piv oted to the arm a within reach of the occupant of the boat, andconnections between the levers d e, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed mysignature in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES A. SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

D. P. CowL, ScIiUYLER DURYEE.

